


The Matchmaker King

by Paradoxikalli



Category: RWBY
Genre: Blind Date, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-10 12:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5584882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paradoxikalli/pseuds/Paradoxikalli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are times when it's okay to let people get together without help. There are times when they need to find out about each other's feelings on their own. But when two teammates have been completely oblivious to each other's feelings for over three months does not qualify as a "wait until they get it on their own" time. It qualifies as a "Fox has a headache from all their ignorance" time.<br/>With a little help from Team RWBY, Fox decides to give Coco and Velvet a solid push, hoping they'll finally figure it out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set way before the start of the Vytal Festival Tournament. After Neptune shows up, but before the tournament.

Fox was sitting on a staircase, his fists clenched in his lap. It was getting late and he probably should have been in his dorm, but there was no way he could handle that room right now. Or rather, there was no way he could handle two of his teammates being so incredibly blind to each other.

 Fox let out an irritated huff at that thought.

 The situation was ridiculous. It was so obvious to him, yet they had no clue. For over three months he had known this, and it was getting worse every day. At first he had kept himself out of it. It wasn't his business and they would surely figure it out.

 Then time kept passing and they were still clueless. He started trying to talk to them individually about how they felt, but that soon proved to be both painful and ineffective. Ineffective because he couldn't talk to either about it when whichever one he was trying to talk to left as soon as he brought it up. Painful because Coco Adel wore boots that could do a lot of damage to his feet and legs, and she always found time to give him a new bruise before she walked away.

 Since one-on-one confrontations didn't work, he tried to ignore it again. He was sick of it though. There was no way he could pretend the obvious feelings they had for each other didn’t exist. He couldn’t handle it. Well okay, he could deal with that. What he really couldn't take was how completely oblivious they were to each other's obvious feelings. Sometimes he wanted to shout it at them so maybe they'd finally get it.

 Of course if he did that, he would have to promptly run out of the room and hide for at least a week to avoid serious bodily injury caused by his leader.

 So now he was sitting on the stairs, trying to figure out a plan before he hit his breaking point.

 "...too young for that, Weiss!" a voice Fox recognized as Yang Xiao Long's carried up the stairs.

 "Plus, there's no one here I'd want to date!" a younger voice that had to be Ruby Rose added. "I haven't met one person I'd want to go out with."

 "Haven’t you been listening?" Ah, there was no mistaking that tone: Weiss Schnee. "It's a blind date! We set you up with someone we think you'll get along with, and you'll meet whoever it is when you show up to the date."

 Wait.

 Wait...

 A blind date? That could work.

 "She is a bit young, Weiss," said another voice. Yang, Weiss, and Ruby were all accounted for...that meant this voice must belong to Blake Belladonna.

 "Oh come on, Neptune knows some great guys!" Weiss insisted. "I promise, you'll have fun."

 "Why are you pushing this?" Yang asked.

 "I just...I really want to plan a blind date for someone," Weiss admitted, somehow managing to sound embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.

 "Haven't you planned yourself out by now?" Yang replied.

 "I can't plan myself out, Yang. I like to know what’s going to happen, be in control of it, and not just let life drag me around. But I wouldn't expect someone with all brawn and no brain to understand that."

 "You know what, Weiss?" Yang said aggressively.

 "Yang, calm down," Blake said. "Weiss, you too."

 "Yeah guys. It's late. Let's get some sleep," Ruby put in. Her team agreed. Their footsteps turned the corner to climb the stairs Fox was sitting on.

 It all fell into place in Fox's mind. He had a plan that could end his problem once and for all.

 The girls were almost to him when he stood and faced them, which made them pause.

 "Hi Fox!" Ruby said.

 "I couldn't help but overhear the end of your argument," Fox said bluntly.

 "Oh, that. Yeah..." Ruby said sheepishly.

 "I have an idea to help all of us," he began. "Weiss, you want to plan a blind date, right?"

 "That's right," the heiress agreed.

 "But Ruby, you don't want to go on a blind date?"

 "No way!" she replied.

 "Blake, Yang...you side with Ruby?" Fox continued.

 "Of course!" Yang said. "She's my baby sister. There's no way I'm letting the Ice Queen set her up."

 "Hey!" Weiss protested.

 "And I think Ruby's too young to have the decision of who her date is made by someone else," Blake put in.

 "So if I have this right...Weiss, you want to plan a blind date but you can't plan one for Ruby. I have an idea for a blind date you can plan," Fox said. "It'll help all of you, as well as me."

 "Alright. Who?" Weiss took the bait.

 "I need you to set up two of my teammates without telling them they're meeting each other," he explained.

 "No problem! We can handle deception and preparation," Yang declared.

 "You're helping now?" Weiss asked.

 "Well two of us will convince and prepare one, and the other two will convince and prepare the other," Yang explained.

 "It would make it easier," Blake pointed out.

 "Oh fine," Weiss agreed. "So who are we setting up?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, something longer!

"You want to set me up on a blind date with someone?" Velvet asked in shock. Yang and Blake nodded. "I don't know..."

 "Aw come on Velvet, it'll be fun!" Yang coaxed.

 "We already found someone to set you up with," Blake said. "You told us you're a lesbian a few weeks ago, and we found a girl we think you'd really like."

 "Please?" Yang pleaded. How that girl could do perfect puppy eyes would always remain a mystery.

 "Alright," Velvet agreed hesitantly.

 "Yeah! I promise, you won't regret it," Yang told her. "Now first we have to get you a nice dress."

 "What?"

 "Your date's at six tonight in Stone Swan, one of the nicest restaurants in Vale. It has a fairly impressive dress code," Blake explained with a slight smile.

 "I'm sure I can find something I already have," Velvet said. She didn't want to shop for something new.

 "No way! We're gonna get you something that'll make your date speechless at the sight of you!" Yang insisted. Velvet winced internally, knowing she'd give in. She didn't want to look too good though. She just wanted to get the whole thing over with. If she looked beautiful, it might not end as fast.

 She still ended up nodding.

 "Great! Come on, let's shop!" Yang said enthusiastically, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along.

 Four hours and sixteen stores later, Velvet was exhausted. Yang and Blake were good company, but she didn't want to do this. She didn't want to shop or go on the blind date. She just wanted to go back to her dorm and relax by reading a book or drawing in one of her many sketchbooks.

 "Found one!" Yang exclaimed with a grin, pulling a dress off of the clearance rack.

 "The price isn't bad," Blake noticed, looking at the tag. "Why don't you try it on, Velvet?"

 Velvet didn't argue. She just took the dress and went to the fitting rooms in the back of the store.

 She made a point of not looking at the mirror while she pulled off her clothes. She was more than a little self-conscious about her body, especially when she thought of all the students at Beacon who could pass for models.

 She always felt a little hopeless jealousy at that. There were so many attractive people at Beacon. Maybe going on a blind date wouldn't be too awful. After all, what chance did she have at a relationship with the girl she had fallen for?

 A few months ago, Velvet had realized that she had more than a friendly interest in Coco. It was painful. She kept telling herself that this was her leader: her very beautiful leader who was obviously out of her league. Velvet was just a shy, plain, and timid faunus with bunny ears. She was nothing.

 Coco, on the other hand, was beautiful, bold, and stylish. Her grades were stellar too, and she was quite a badass whenever she got in a fight. She always had those sunglasses on (even going so far as taking the trusty accessories with her whenever she went to take a shower), except when she got up in the morning. There were a few solid minutes in the morning routine that left those sunglasses sitting on the sidelines. And somehow, every single morning, Coco got out of bed looking perfect.

 Actually, there wasn't a single time Velvet had seen her leader look less than stunning. She was so strong and confident in everything she did, so kind and generous to all who deserved it, so ruthless and vengeful toward anything deserving that, so protective and aware of everyone she cared about...

 And in theory, Velvet had a chance. Coco was bisexual; she had told her team about that as soon as they moved into the school as new first years. So Velvet had a shot, right?

 But she didn't, because she was nowhere near Coco's level. Coco constantly gave her compliments and told her to not let anyone tell her she was anything short of amazing. Velvet argued that she wasn't amazing. Coco always replied with the same comment, and for some reason it worked like a charm every time:

 "Can they see every movement in complete darkness, hear someone's exact breaths from across the room, and make me wonder how it's possible for someone so capable of taking down enemies to be so absolutely adorable? No, because that's your job. And that makes you amazing."

 But while Coco didn't see it, the faunus knew there was a gap between them. Velvet was always going to be at the very bottom of the social ladder, and Coco...

 It was a pointless and stupid crush, but no matter how many times she told herself there was no way it would lead anywhere, it just got stronger. The worst part was, it had evolved past like and was stubbornly remaining rooted inside her as love.

 She tried to be optimistic about going on a blind date, but since she knew nothing would get her mind off of Coco, she ended up hating the idea of the date even more.

 With a heavy sigh, Velvet pushed the thoughts aside and pulled the dress on, then turned to look in the mirror.

 The dress was dark red and strapless. It had a snug fit that accented her body without being too tight. The hem ended about two inches above her knees and there was a cluster of three dark brown hearts at the left side of her waist. Velvet had to admit, it was flattering and beautiful.

 She stepped out of the changing room to show Blake and Yang the dress.

 "Looks awesome!" Yang announced, giving two thumbs up to make her approval clearer.

 "It does," Blake agreed. "I think it might be the one."

 "Agreed!" Yang grinned. 

 "Alright," Velvet said, forcing a smile.

 "Okay, let's go pay for it," Blake said. Velvet went back to the fitting room and changed back into her regular clothes.

 "Now what?" she asked, following the two girls up to the counter so they could pay.

 "Shoes and jewelry," Blake told her.

 "It's almost five," Velvet said. "Isn't the date you set up for me at six?"

 "Oh man!" Yang exclaimed as she grabbed the dress from the counter while Blake paid for it. "Let's toss this in to be washed at that laundromat across the street and pick it up on the way to the restaurant." The blonde hurried out with Blake and Velvet in tow.

 After Blake paid to have the dress washed and dried, the girls went to a shoe store and started looking around. Velvet's efforts were halfhearted, but Yang had enough energy for five people. She piled up an impressive stack of boxes beside a bench. Velvet looked at the boxes and sighed.

 It took almost forty minutes for her to try on all the shoes. Blake took out all the ones with tall heels once it was clear that Velvet had trouble walking in them but Yang found twice as many as Blake eliminated from the pile.

 Eventually the girls all settled on a pair of dark brown ankle boots with no heel and a gold heart on the outside of each boot. They were comfortable and easy to walk in, so Blake bought them and the girls headed to a jewelry store.

 "Yang, I paid for the dress, the washing of the dress, the shoes, and all those snacks you wanted," Blake said, giving the blonde a meaningful look as they walked into the shop. "You're paying for the jewelry."

 "Aww, Blake!" Yang whined.

 "And you can carry the shoes too," Blake added, pushing the bag into her hands. Yang gave an exaggerated sigh and took the bag, then started looking at the jewelry cases.

 "I can pay for this myself, you know," Velvet said.

 "Velvet, we know you don't have a lot of spending money. I have a considerable sum of money I've been saving for years, and Yang's father sends her money when she needs it," Blake replied. "Or if she really needs it, she bothers people until they pay her to leave them alone."

 "But..."

 "We want to do this. We can afford it," Blake insisted.

 "Are you sure?" Velvet asked.

 "Positive," Blake confirmed.

 "Thank you," Velvet said softly.

 "Hey, over here!" Yang waved them over.

 "Did you find something?" Blake asked.

 "Yup!" Yang pointed into a case.

 The necklace was simple: a fine gold chain with a heart-shaped gold pendant. It was elegant, lovely, and not too fancy. The price was low as well.

 "What do you think, Velvet?" Blake asked.

 "I like it," she said hesitantly.

 "Great!" Yang said.

 "We're getting low on time," Blake noticed. "Yang, buy the necklace and meet us at the pretzel stand."

 "The pretzel stand?" Yang asked with bright eyes.

 "Yes Yang. The pretzel stand that took ten minutes of our time because you wanted to try everything it had, which you left me to pay for when you ran off to get ice cream, which you also made me pay for because you went to the bathroom," Blake said flatly. "Go wait there for us once you buy the necklace."

 "Got it!" the blonde agreed, grinning. Blake walked out of the store with Velvet right behind her.

 "Where are we going?" Velvet asked.

 "We're picking up your dress," Blake told her. "And we need to hurry now."

 "Right," Velvet agreed halfheartedly.

 "Are you okay?" Blake asked.

 "Fine! I-I'm fine," she lied. Blake didn't look convinced. "Can you tell me anything about the girl you set me up with?" she asked to avoid potential questions.

 "Not allowed," Blake replied.

 "Not allowed?" Velvet frowned.

 "You'll find out when you meet her."

 "Does she know anything about me?"

 "No. She's going in with the same rules. She doesn't know anything about you other than that you're female and we think you two will get along," Blake told her.

 "Okay," Velvet said, feeling slightly better.

 "Are you sure you're alright?" Blake asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

 "It's...it's not...I don't want to talk about it," Velvet said, blushing as she looked away.

 "Well I'm here if you change your mind," Blake replied. Velvet mumbled out a quick thanks and stared at her feet.

 She did want to talk about it. She wanted to turn to Blake and say she couldn't go through with the date because she already loved someone despite how impossible it was for her to be with that someone. She wanted to say that she was in love with Coco Adel, and she wanted to say how hard it was to be in love with someone she saw and talked to every day...

 But she couldn't.

 She couldn't tell anyone. She was too scared that Coco would find out, which would change the team dynamic immensely and make everything awkward.

 There had been several incidents in the past that implied that Fox suspected it because he brought up the topic every time no one else was around, but he had eventually stopped. Velvet hoped she had thrown him off the scent of the truth with all of her evasive lies and excuses to leave.

 Velvet sighed, her ears drooping as she followed Blake down the street to pick up the dress. Blake shot her several concerned looks, but neither of them spoke. Velvet was thankful for the silence; she wanted to save her energy so she could pretend everything was fine while on the blind date.

 The silence stretched on. It lasted until after they picked up the dress and went to the pretzel stand. Well Blake muttered something about Yang when her teammate was nowhere in sight, but Velvet didn't hear all of it and didn't respond.

 Predictably enough, the peace was broken when the blonde, who did not have the word "silent" in her vocabulary, suddenly made her appearance.

 "Hey guys!" Yang called from behind Blake and Velvet as they approached the pretzel stand. Her overly warm presence was made more obvious when she tossed one arm around Velvet's shoulders and one around Blake's before they could turn around, then leaned forward so her cheerful face was between them.

 "Yang," Blake said simply. Yang stepped back so Blake and Velvet could turn to face her.

 "You okay, Velvet? You look awful," the blonde asked. It didn't seem like "subtle" was in her vocabulary either.

 "I'm fine," Velvet lied, forcing a smile. Yang looked skeptical and glanced at Blake, who shook her head slightly.

 "So what now, Blake?" the blonde asked, dropping the subject of Velvet's wellbeing.

 "Give me the shoes and necklace," Blake said. Yang handed the items over. "Now buy me some of those tuna-filled pretzels and call a cab."

 "You got it!" Yang grinned. Blake gently pulled Velvet into a small clothing store by the pretzel stand, leading her to the dressing rooms. Velvet took the dress, shoes, and necklace when they were held out to her and went into a room to change.

 When she was wearing the new outfit, Velvet looked at the mirror to see that she looked beautiful. She really did. That should have cheered her up, but it didn't. She just stared into that mirror and wondered why she had agreed to this.

 Right. Peer pressure, Yang's puppy eyes, and the risk of her feelings for Coco coming into the open if she refused.

 That didn't make her feel any better. It just made her feel like she was weak.

 "Velvet?" Blake gently knocked on the door, which made Velvet jump slightly. "The cab's here. Are you ready?"

 "Yeah," she said, rubbing her eyes to fight tears. She stuffed her regular clothes into the shoebox and shoved that backed into its bag. The she opened the door and stepped out. "I'm ready."

 "Alright. Let's go," Blake said, leading her out of the store to a waiting cab. Yang was already in the far side of the backseat so Velvet sat in the middle. Blake slid in and shut the door, taking the bag of pretzels Yang held out.

 "Five tuna-filled pretzels," the blonde said, pulling the bag with Velvet's clothes away from the faunus and into her own lap.

 "Thank you, Yang," Blake said with a smile.

 "Stone Swan, please!" Yang told the driver. The cab started to move and Velvet struggled to find enough strength to get through the evening. She felt trapped.

 "Velvet?" Blake rested a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "You're shaking. Is something wrong?"

 "I-I...no. Nothing. I'm fine. Just...nervous."

 "Don't be. You'll be fine," Blake assured her.

 "Yeah," Yang agreed. "Would we ever lead you astray?" Blake shot a look at the blonde. "Fine. Would Blake ever lead you astray?" she corrected herself.

 "No," Velvet admitted.

 "You'll be fine," Blake repeated. 

 Velvet wasn't so sure but she smiled anyhow.

 When they made it to the restaurant, Yang instantly jumped out, leaving Blake to pay the driver. Then she and Velvet got out and joined the blonde.

 "Yang," Blake said, crossing her arms. “Despite what you seem to think, I am not your wallet.”

 "Um...I'll buy you sushi on the way back?" Yang suggested with a sheepish smile. Blake rolled her eyes.

 "Fine. After Velvet goes to meet her date, you will buy me whatever I want from wherever I want it," Blake told her. Yang nodded eagerly, then looked at Velvet.

 "We’re five minutes late, but hey, we made it! Are you ready?" the blonde prompted cheerfully.

 "Just dinner, right?" Velvet asked nervously.

 "That's all we're asking," Blake assured her.

 "You might be surprised," Yang said. "Who knows? Maybe you two will get along and go to a movie or something."

 "Yeah. Maybe," Velvet said softly, knowing that she would be thinking of someone else the whole time.

 "Cheer up," Yang said as she gently bumped Velvet's shoulder with her fist, offering an encouraging grin.

 "Is she already in there?" Velvet asked.

 "Yup! She's just waiting on you," the blonde replied. Velvet swallowed hard.

 "It's a table in the back. We had the restaurant staff put a blue tablecloth on it so you know which one it is," Blake said. Velvet reached for the door, but she paused just before she touched it. Her hand was shaking. There were a few seconds during which her only movement was her uncontrollable trembling.

 "I can't do this!" She turned to escape but Yang and Blake stepped in her way.

 "We'll walk you in," Blake said, looping her arm through Velvet's while Yang stood behind them. There was no way for the faunus to flee now, and that thought made her ears droop slightly. She looked at the door and sighed.

 "Okay," she agreed softly. The two girls gently led her through the large and luxurious restaurant to a lovely fish pond with a large statue of a swan in it. The statue completely blocked anything on the other side of the pond from view.

 "Just behind that statue," Blake said, letting go of her arm and giving her a gentle nudge. "You can do this. I promise," she added, meeting her eyes. Velvet took a few deep breaths and nodded, walking around the pond and looking for a blue...

 Oh.

 Oh no...

 No!

 Velvet froze up. There was indeed a blue tablecloth over a small table with two chairs. And sitting in the chair facing her, calmly reading the menu, was...

 Velvet closed her eyes tightly, hoping it was an illusion. But when she opened them, the same person was there, still reading the menu in front of her. Velvet's throat closed up. She was trembling and she wanted to run but she was frozen. A man bumped into her on his way to the front of the restaurant and she made a startled sound, stumbling forward, toward the table.

 That disturbed the girl there. She looked up briefly, then did an obvious double take. Velvet met her eyes.

 The dark brown eyes of Coco Adel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the first part of the date is finished and posted! Hope you like it!

"Velvet?" Coco asked, clearly surprised. Velvet stiffened and fought the urge to bolt. "Sit down."

 Well, that took away any chance of escape. Velvet forced herself to go to the table and sit across from Coco.

 "You look nice," her leader added.

 "Thanks," Velvet replied hesitantly.

 "Are you okay?" Coco asked.

 "Fine. Just...a little surprised," she offered a partial truth, hoping Coco would accept it.

 "Me too," she said with a light chuckle. Velvet met her eyes and felt herself relax at the gentle emotions there.

 "You're not wearing your sunglasses," she noticed aloud. Coco sighed slightly.

 "Ruby stole them as soon as I sat down and ran off before I could react. Weiss was already gone too, so I didn't have much of a choice in the matter," she explained, clearly annoyed at the memory. "It's not freaking you out, is it? That you can see my eyes? Pretty much everyone I've known felt weird and uncomfortable if they could see my eyes longer than a few seconds."

 "No! No, it's...actually kind of nice," Velvet admitted.

 "Nice?" Coco asked, raising an eyebrow. Velvet tried to think of a quick lie.

 "Because your eyes are beautiful," she said.

 Well, so much for thinking of a lie.

 "Oh." Coco blinked, and Velvet saw her leader's cheeks take on a slight reddish tint. "Thanks. No one's ever said anything like that about my eyes."

 "Really?" Velvet asked.

 "Like I said, most people just think it's weird when I don't wear sunglasses. Even the ones I've done this with. The whole going on a date thing," Coco explained. Velvet blushed and suddenly found her menu very interesting. "You okay?" Coco's voice made her hesitantly look up again.

 "I've just never...you know...been on a date," Velvet admitted. "It's a little...overwhelming, I guess."

 "Should I take the comment about what we're doing being a date back then?" Coco asked.

 "No! It's not a bad thing," she said quickly.

 "Good," Coco replied. "I don't want to take it back," she added, smiling slightly before looking down at her menu.

 "Good evening, and welcome to Stone Swan," said a voice from beside them. Velvet looked up to see a young waitress with red hair and tiger ears smiling down at them. "Would you like anything to drink?" the waitress asked.

 "I'll just have an ice water," Coco said. Velvet found the caramel hot chocolate tempting but also pricey. "I see you eyeing that hot chocolate," Coco informed her.

 "But it costs ten lien," she replied.

 "Have you forgotten?" Coco asked with a slight smile. "My family's made of money, Velvet."

 "But..."

 "But nothing," Coco said firmly, looking up at the waitress. "She'll have the caramel hot chocolate."

 "Small, medium, or large?"

 "Large," Coco said before Velvet could speak. "And bring her an ice water too." The waitress wrote on her pad and smiled.

 "It'll be just a minute," she said, walking away.

 "The large costs twenty!" Velvet protested.

 "Your point?" Coco replied.

 "You're impossible," Velvet sighed.

 "So I'm not allowed to pay for my date's food?" Coco asked with a faint smirk.

 "You shouldn't," Velvet told her.

 "You are undeniably sweet, but tonight's bill is on me," Coco declared. "And if you try to go with what's cheapest, I will order you what you choose, the most expensive dish here, and whatever I want to eat. And you will not pay anything."

 "But everything costs so much..."

 "Just let me spoil you," Coco insisted. Velvet sighed and Coco met her eyes with calm determination.

 "Fine," she gave in. Not because Coco's eyes stole her willpower. It was because...

 Okay, that was the exact reason.

 She couldn't help it. Just looking into her leader's eyes without the sunglasses obstructing her view made her feel a little weak, like she was slowly melting in a microwave. It wasn't an unpleasant kind of weak though; it was just warm.

 "You can't argue with me," Coco noticed with a chuckle. Velvet's face flushed slightly.

 "Because you're too stubborn," she countered. "There's no point because you'll never give in."

 "Very true," Coco admitted. "Not to change the subject, but I just realized...well, you said this is the first date you've ever been on, right?"

 "Yeah," Velvet said hesitantly.

 "Why did you agree to it? I mean it's a blind date. You could have been set up with anyone. Why did you agree to let your first date be a blind one?" Coco asked.

 This was a dangerous subject. Velvet realized she'd have to choose her words carefully. If Coco pressed in the right place, Velvet knew she might end up blurting out her feelings.

 "Well...Blake and Yang kind of pushed for it," she admitted. Coco frowned slightly.

 "You mean they bullied you into it."

 "No! No, it...they weren't...it wasn't..." Velvet decided to stop struggling for words and sighed, collecting her thoughts. "I'm just not good at resisting peer pressure," she uttered part of the truth. She could see that Coco was about to press for more information and asked a quick question, not wanting to risk an accidental confession. "Why did you agree?"

 Coco blushed slightly, looking down at her menu. Velvet was about to open her mouth to tell her leader that she didn't have to answer, but Coco spoke before she could.

 "Ruby and Weiss...they didn't exactly ask. Weiss told me she was planning a blind date for me, and when I tried to argue, Ruby ran up with some...um, some evidence of a...rather personal problem I've been having," Coco's admitted. "She'd taken pictures with her scroll and threatened to...uh, show them to...certain people," she met Velvet's eyes for a moment but quickly looked away, her blush deepening, "if I didn't go on this date."

 "They blackmailed you?" Velvet asked, slightly amused. "What did they use?"

 "I can't tell you," Coco said.

 "Why not?" Velvet asked with a slight pout. Coco looked at her and gave a low groan.

 "Don't look at me like that," she ordered. "That expression is utterly adorable."

 "Adorable?" Velvet asked, blushing.

 "Absolutely. You always are, but that face is too much. It makes saying no to you even harder than it normally is," Coco told her with clearly false irritation.

 Velvet ducked her head as her face flushed even more. She glanced up at Coco to see that she was blushing too. Their eyes met and they both looked away.

 Velvet decided to take the silence as a chance to think.

 What was this? What did it mean? Why was the normally composed Coco Adel suddenly blushing, avoiding eye contact, and generally acting flustered or even embarrassed? And...wait, had she really just said it was always hard for her to say no to Velvet? And that Velvet was always adorable?

 The faunus felt like she was about to spontaneously combust. Her face was burning and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to force the emotions down. She couldn't let herself tell Coco how she really felt, regardless of how endearing her leader's current attitude was.

 And it truly was endearing. Velvet had never seen Coco act this embarrassed. There were moments every now and then, but this was completely unexpected. Velvet hadn't even known Coco's face could get so red! It wasn't as deep as her own blush, of course, but it was still shocking.

 "So..." Coco's voice suddenly broke through her thoughts, making her look up. "Where did you get that dress? I haven't seen it in your closet before."

 That was one downside of sharing a dorm with Coco: frequent wardrobe inspections. The fashionable leader took it upon herself to randomly look through Velvet's clothes and make sure the faunus had enough high-quality options. If Velvet's wardrobe failed the inspection, Coco dragged her off on an impromptu shopping trip to solve the problem. If her wardrobe passed, Coco dragged her off on an impromptu shopping trip to celebrate.

 Wardrobe inspections were basically just an excuse for Coco to play fashion consultant and buy Velvet new clothes.

 "Blake and Yang took me shopping earlier and helped me pick out the dress, boots, and necklace. That's why I was late; I was out buying a new outfit," Velvet admitted. "Well, technically they were buying me a new outfit...they paid for everything."

 "Hmm. Well they certainly don't have bad taste. I'll have to compliment them on that," Coco declared.

 The waitress came over and beamed at them.

 "And here are your drinks!" she said. "Two ice waters," she took two elegant glasses from the tray she was holding and set them down on the table, "and one large caramel hot chocolate." She placed a small plate in front of Velvet, then added a large mug topped with whipped cream that was crisscrossed by caramel.

 "Well that looks delicious," Coco observed.  

 "Enjoy! I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you and see if you're ready to order." The waitress smiled brightly and walked away. Velvet met Coco's eyes.

 "Go ahead and try it," Coco urged. Velvet smiled and used her spoon to make a small gap in the whipped cream by the edge of the mug. The liquid inside was a warm brown color and Velvet felt the mug to see how hot it was. It had some heat but not enough to be too hot so she hesitantly took a sip. The drink was sweet but not overpowering.

 "This is really good," she said with a smile, taking another sip. "Do you want to try it?"

 "Sure," Coco agreed. Velvet passed the mug to her, watching her eyes widen slightly when she raised it to her lips. "That...is every bit as amazing as it looks," Coco told her. Velvet took the mug again and smiled.

 "If you want more later, you can have some. I mean you bought it, so I'd be happy to share," Velvet said.

 "I'll probably take you up on that offer," Coco said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

 "Good," Velvet replied, taking another sip.

 "Have you thought about what you want to eat?" Coco asked. "As I said, do not go with what's cheapest."

 "I know," Velvet assured her. "I was...kind of looking at the salads. I mean, Beacon doesn't exactly have a wide variety of...well, any kind of food, really. But the cafeteria's salad selection is particularly notorious for poor quality. Sometimes it just tastes awful."

 "Very true," Coco agreed.

 "What are you going to order?" Velvet asked.

 "I'm not sure. I guess the maple salmon looks pretty good, but so does the pasta menu," Coco told her.

 "Why don't you get the salmon with pasta on the side?" Velvet suggested.

 "Huh." Coco blinked. "I didn't even think about that. That's probably what I'll do. But there's a whole list of reasons why I shouldn't eat too much," she said, tapping the dessert menu. Velvet couldn't fight a slight laugh. "What?"

 "Nothing," Velvet replied, smiling at how her leader was talking about dessert before even ordering dinner. "But if you're getting a dessert, can you share it with me?"

 "Of course," Coco said.

 "Thanks," Velvet said with a smile. Coco smiled back, but her eyes seemed distant. It was the same expression she wore when she was thinking of some sort of plan: usually a battle strategy or a new clothing design. Speaking of which… "I haven't seen you working on any new projects in a while," Velvet commented.

 "I haven't had any good ideas lately," Coco admitted, shaking off the distant expression.

 "I'm sure something will come to you," Velvet assured her. Coco gave a slight sigh and looked at her menu.

 "I hope so. Having no projects means I have more time to think. Too much time to think," she said.

 "Too much time to think?" Velvet asked. "About what? Is something bothering you?"

 "I..." Coco's face took on a faint reddish tint again. "I'd rather not talk about it."

 "Okay," Velvet agreed, smiling. "But I'm here if you ever do want to talk."

 "Thanks," Coco replied with a slight smile.

 "No problem," Velvet told her, looking up as the waitress came over to the table.

 "Do you know what you want to order, or do you need a few more minutes?" the waitress asked.

 "I think we're ready," Coco said. Velvet gave a slight nod and the waitress looked at Coco, pad ready.

 "I'll have the maple salmon, with a small serving of the three cheese lasagna on the side. No garlic please," Coco said, blushing slightly as she added the last part. The waitress wrote on her pad and looked at Coco, then Velvet, then back at Coco before offering a slight giggle. Coco's blush deepened.

 "And what would you like?" the waitress asked Velvet.

 "I think...maybe the garden salad," she replied. "Oh, and no dressing or croutons please."

 "That had better not be all," Coco told her.

 "I know," Velvet assured her, then looked at the waitress. "Can you add some of those dried berries?"

 "What kind?"

 "Every kind. As many as possible."

 "That...won't be cheap," the waitress warned.

 "I'm not allowed to eat anything inexpensive, apparently," Velvet replied, shooting Coco a meaningful look. Her leader just smiled, appearing very pleased with herself.

 Alright then!" the waitress said, writing on her pad. "Do you want me to bring those at the same time?"

 "Yes please," Velvet told her.

 "Alright, your orders will be out soon," the waitress replied with a bright smile. "Do you want me to take your menus now, or do you want to keep them and order dessert later?"

 "We'll be getting dessert after we eat," Coco replied. The waitress beamed and walked away.

 "Well, I just ordered what will probably be the most expensive salad in Vale. Are you happy?" Velvet asked, fighting a smile.

 "Very," Coco told her with a smirk. Velvet sighed and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "Is that still warm?"

 "It is. Do you want some?" Velvet held out the mug. Coco gave a slight nod and took it.

 "It is still warm," she noticed after a few sips.

 "Did you think I was lying?" Velvet asked, taking the mug back when it was offered to her.

 "No. I just wasn't sure how warm it was. We might have different standards for what temperature warm is," Coco replied. Velvet smiled slightly and set the mug on its plate.

 "You said were getting dessert," the faunus remembered. "Do you have any ideas?"

 "Just one," Coco told her.

 "Which is...?"

 "Letting you pick whatever you want without my input," her leader said with a smirk. Velvet sighed and shot Coco a halfhearted glare, but still smiled at the statement. "What?"

 "You're stubborn. Sweet, but stubborn," Velvet informed her, blushing slightly. "We're going to talk about what dessert to get and agree on one. We’re not just getting whatever I want."

 "Now who's being sweet and stubborn?" Coco asked teasingly, making Velvet's blush deepen.

 "Both of us," she replied.

 "But you know you can't make me agree," Coco pointed out. Velvet smiled as she remembered something Coco had told her earlier, which sparked an idea.

 "Yes I can," she said.

 "Oh yeah? How?" Coco sounded amused, like she didn't believe Velvet could do it but she thought it would be fun to watch her try and inevitably fail. Velvet smiled, then gave Coco her very best pleading expression.

 Coco's amusement collapsed. Velvet forced her smirk down and made her eyes even wider, staring at her leader with the perfect combination of a puppy dog expression and a pout.

 "Please?" she asked sweetly.

 Coco groaned, then gave a slight huff. It looked like she was trying to glare, but her eyes were too soft.

 "Fine, fine. You're too cute to resist," she gave in with false annoyance, blushing.

 "I told you I could make you agree," Velvet told her. "It looks like I found your weakness."

 "Fine, yes, I have a weakness when it comes to adorable bunny girls named Velvet Scarlatina," Coco admitted, rolling her eyes. "Don't abuse it."

 "I won't," Velvet assured her. "Much," she added softly.

 "I heard that," Coco told her.

 "I know. It's a warning," Velvet replied.

 "A warning, huh?" Coco raised an eyebrow. "Well I'll warn you that I'll get my revenge if you try exploiting that weakness."

 "We'll see," Velvet said with a smile. Coco chuckled and met her eyes, smirking.

 "You know I'll find a way."

 "I know," Velvet admitted. "Call it a draw?"

 "For now," Coco agreed. "Besides, I do have something I'd like to talk about until our food gets here."

 "What's that?" Velvet asked.

 "How your clothes scored in the wardrobe inspection I took the liberty of performing today, and what we're going to do about it," Coco replied. The faunus sighed but still smiled as her leader started to explain in vivid detail what she thought would improve her wardrobe.

 As she listened to Coco talk, Velvet decided that maybe this evening wasn't going to be so bad after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaaay second part of the date is up! I hope you enjoy it!

After the most delicious salad ever created and a warm chocolate lava cake shared with Coco, Velvet felt happy, full, and relaxed. The waitress came over to take the empty dessert plate away and set a bill on the table.

 "Did you enjoy your meal?" she asked.

 "It was excellent," Coco replied. Velvet nodded agreement and the waitress smiled.

 "Great! You'll just need to pay at the counter in the front of the restaurant. Enjoy the rest of your evening!" As the waitress walked away, Coco took the bill and inspected it. Her expression gave away absolutely nothing about the amount to be paid.

 "How much did it cost?" Velvet asked.

 "You don't need to know. I'm paying, remember?"

 "I remember. But I still want to know."

 "Not happening," Coco insisted.

 "Coco..." Velvet's tone was somewhere between a plea, a whine, and a threat. Coco raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

 "Fine," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. She handed Velvet the slip of paper. As soon as she read the total cost, Velvet's eyes widened. Then she glared at Coco.

 "This is way too much," she declared.

 "Did you like the food?" Coco asked.

 "Well...yes, it was great."

 "Then it's worth it," Coco told her, taking the bill.

 "You are truly stubborn," Velvet declared.

 "Is that something new?" Coco replied.

 "Not at all," Velvet admitted. "And it has been a fun evening...I guess I won't argue."

 "Speaking of it being a fun evening...would you be alright with staying in the city for a little while?" Coco asked, placing a generous tip on the table. "I've been having a great time too, so...I really don't want tonight to end yet."

 "I agree," Velvet replied, smiling. She and Coco stood and the faunus saw her leader's attire for the first time.

 Velvet was rendered speechless instantly. Coco was wearing a dark blue dress with short off the shoulder sleeves, a moderately steep neckline in the form of an elegant U, a flowing hem ending a couple inches above the knee, a design on her chest of a large black rose with light brown details attached to a thorny black stem that curled around her body three times before ending in a heart just below her right hip, and a fitted design that accented her slim figure nicely. A gold necklace with a circular pendant bearing a graceful black C rested on her chest. She had her usual boots on and was for some reason carrying the handbag she used as a weapon for both beating and shooting any threat she encountered.

 "Are you okay?" Coco's voice snapped her out of her daze and she felt a light blush color her face.

 "I'm fine. You just look amazing."

 Well...that was not the most subtle thing to say.

 "Do I?" Coco asked with a slight smile. "Thanks."

 "Also...why do you have that?" Velvet asked, pointing at Coco's handbag.

 "A weapon of mass destruction is always useful, Velvet. And fashionable," Coco told her.

 "On a date?"

 "Hey, it's a blind date. I didn't know who I'd be meeting, and it's better to be safe than sorry," Coco replied.

 "So...what does that mean for me?" Velvet asked. Coco chuckled slightly.

 "It means I didn't need it after all. It also means that I can and will go after anyone who messes with you."

 "You do that anyway," Velvet pointed out. "And you really don't need to."

 "I know I don't need to," Coco assured her. "I want to. And when I'm armed...it's just fun."

 "Fun?" Velvet asked incredulously. Coco shrugged.

 "I like fighting monsters," she offered her explanation. Velvet crossed her arms.

 "'Monsters' are Grimm," she said.

 "And people who are cruel to you just because you have adorable bunny ears," Coco added, making the faunus blush slightly. "They're monsters too."

 "Not in the eyes of most of Remnant," Velvet insisted.

 "But they're the worst of monsters in my eyes. That's the only thing that matters," Coco replied. "Now come on, let's pay and get some fresh air."

 Velvet followed her up to the counter and tried to slip in some of her own money to help pay, which resulted in a reproachful glance from Coco.

 "I'm not letting you pay," her leader said, forcing Velvet's lien back to her and moving so she blocked the counter, effectively keeping the faunus from attempting to contribute again.

 Velvet counted the money, rolling her eyes when she realized Coco had slipped twenty of her own lien into the small bunch. When Velvet sighed, Coco turned around to look at her with a very self-satisfied smirk. The faunus glared at her.

 "You gave me twenty extra lien," she accused. Coco just winked and turned back to the counter. Velvet decided there was no point in arguing because Coco would undoubtedly find a way to give her more money if she tried to protest. She put her money and the extra twenty lien away, then crossed her arms and waited.

 "So..." Coco said, turning back to her after paying for the meal. "Is there anywhere you want to go? I'm up for anything."

 "I can't really think of anything specific," Velvet admitted, trying to let go of her irritation over how much money Coco was spending on her. Or more accurately: her irritation over the fact that Coco was making her heart beat even faster than normal through irresistible generosity and beauty.

 "Then we'll just walk," Coco declared. "And if we think of something to do, we'll do it."

 "Okay," Velvet agreed, smiling. Coco walked toward the door and opened it.

 "Ladies first," she said with a slight smirk. Velvet rolled her eyes, blushing as she walked out of the restaurant. Coco came to stand beside her.

 "You know Vale better than I do," Velvet said. “You lead.”

 "You need to explore," Coco told her. “Get to know the city’s layout a little better.”

 "I-I can't," the faunus replied. "Everywhere I go, people stare at me and make quiet comments to each other, and I hear every word they say. Being with Yang and Blake today made it easier because even when I was quiet, they were talking. They drowned out the rest. When I’m really thinking about something I don’t hear the comments either. But if I'm not deep in thought and I’m alone or with one person..."

 "Velvet," Coco said with a very serious expression. "I won't even let people look at you the wrong way. If someone makes you uncomfortable, they will regret it."

 "But..."

 "But nothing. Just start walking, okay? I know this city too well for us to get lost no matter where we go," Coco replied.

 "Alright," Velvet agreed hesitantly, walking down the sidewalk. She smiled slightly when Coco walked beside her. It was late so there weren't many people out, which was good. No one gave Velvet more than a brief glance, which was nice.

 "There are some good stores down that road," Coco said, looking to the left at another street as they reached an intersection. "We should go shopping." She started to walk in that direction.

 "No." Velvet grabbed Coco's hand and brought her leader to a halt, then pulled her back.

 "No?" Coco asked. "Why?"

 "Because if we shop you will insist on buying me things. You've spent too much money tonight. I'm not letting you spend more," the faunus said firmly.

 "Fine," Coco gave in, meeting her eyes. Then her gaze shifted over Velvet's shoulder and her eyes narrowed. Velvet became aware of voices and listened.

 "...wrong for them to be so close," said a female voice.

 "Wrong? That's putting it lightly," a male put in.

 "I just don't see how that poor girl can stand being around a filthy animal," the female said again, louder.

 Velvet felt the spear of their words. The insults were painful, but the statement that it was wrong for her to be close to Coco was absolute torment. She felt tears in her eyes and knew her expression had to be filled with hurt.

 Then she saw Coco's face and she realized there was a much bigger problem.

 Her leader's eyes were full of cold fury. Whenever Coco had that expression, someone got hurt. In this case, Velvet knew Coco was about to engage the two people making comments.

 "I'll be back in a second," Coco told her, pulling her hand from Velvet’s before walking past her with a steady step and a tight grip on her handbag. Velvet whipped around to see a tall, bulky man with a small but clearly muscular woman coming down the sidewalk.

 Velvet tried to grab Coco's hand again but her leader was too fast, intercepting the couple several paces away in three seconds.

 "If I heard correctly," Coco began in a dangerous tone, "I believe you called my date a 'filthy animal' and said it's wrong for me to be close to her."

 "Yes, we did," the woman said simply. Her voice was proud, which Velvet knew would make Coco’s reaction worse.

 "I will give you both five seconds to apologize," Coco told them.

 "Why would we apologize?" the man asked. "It's true."

 "Is that right?" Coco asked coldly.

 "Coco, please, you really shouldn't do this..." Velvet interrupted, hoping she would listen.

 "I'm not going to ignore this and let these bigots ruin our date by hurting you without paying for the pain they caused," Coco replied.

 "Coco..."

 "Five seconds are up," Coco said, swinging her handbag at the pair and throwing both of them several yards away with one hit. She walked to them, purpose and confidence filling her stride. She hauled them to their feet and pushed them just far enough for a strong strike, then brought her handbag up again.

 "Coco!" Velvet shot forward and wrapped her arms around her leader's waist from behind, pulling her back just enough to unbalance her and keep her from attacking again.

 "I'm not letting them off the hook so soon," Coco insisted. Velvet tightened her grip.

 "Please just let them go," she insisted. "I want to keep having fun with you, not watch you beat people into the ground." Coco hesitated, still tense. "Please?" Velvet repeated softly. Coco slowly exhaled and relaxed, lowering her handbag.

 "Fine," she agreed. "Just because I know you're wearing that adorable, pleading face I can't say no to."

 Velvet felt her face flush bright red and Coco rested her hands over Velvet's, keeping the faunus's arms around her waist and leaning back slightly.

 "You're blushing, aren't you?" Coco asked knowingly.

 Velvet’s blush deepened. She pressed her face into the back of Coco's neck and nodded slightly, hearing her leader chuckle.

 "Alright, let's go," Coco said. Velvet released her waist and stepped back so she and Coco could return to the sidewalk and continue walking to nowhere in particular.

 "Thank you," Velvet said softly.

 "For...?"

 "For not beating them to near death. And...and for openly telling them we're technically on a date even though they didn’t ask."

 "Why would I hide that?" Coco asked with a slight frown. Velvet didn't reply. "Oh. Because you're a faunus, right?"

 Velvet sighed and gave a slight nod.

 "I can't put enough stress on how much I don't care if you're faunus or human. You're a person, teammate, friend, and currently, you're my date," Coco explained.

 "But you like my ears, don't you?" Velvet asked playfully, unable to fight a slight giggle when Coco's face turned red. 

 "Yes. Your ears are adorable," she confirmed.

 "How adorable?" Velvet pressed. Coco's blush deepened.

 "Too adorable for words. Now stop trying to figure out how much you can get me to blush before I do the same thing to you," she said firmly, but with a slight smile proving that she wasn’t upset at all.

 "Alright," Velvet agreed reluctantly, looking straight ahead again.

Silence fell. Velvet looked at Coco to see that her leader was clearly lost in thought. It didn't seem like it was as light as fashion or battle plans; it seemed much deeper than that. It looked like Coco was drawing her pensive mood from a much deeper place.

 Honestly, that was a little intimidating.

 Velvet stared at the sidewalk, still keeping pace with Coco. She didn't know what to do. The silence wasn't unpleasant, but for some reason Velvet felt it was the calm before the storm. Usually that meant something negative was about to occur, but this seemed different. Velvet's instincts told her that whatever storm was coming was shocking and intense, but that it would bring something amazing instead of something terrible.

 The only question was what the storm would be.

 "Hey Velvet?" Coco finally spoke, stopping. There were no people nearby and the lights were dim enough to allow a lovely array stars to shine brightly in the sky. It was a nice, peaceful place to pause.

 "What?" she asked, stopping and turning to face her leader. She wondered if Coco was going to tell her what that thoughtful expression was about. Her leader looked somewhat nervous now, which was a bit strange.

 "Can I give you something? No matter what it is?" she requested, meeting Velvet’s eyes.

 "Um, sure," Velvet agreed.

 "Okay," Coco said. "Close your eyes."

 "Alright." Velvet obeyed the command.

 She didn't know what she was expecting, but the lingering sensation of Coco's lips against her cheek was definitely not something she thought would happen at all. Her eyes flew open and she stared for a few seconds, blushing violently. As soon as she could think again, she forced herself to speak.

 "What was that for?"

 "Just...a thank-you. For tonight. I expected it to be a disaster I'd have to suffer through due to some stranger, but...because it's you, it's the best date I've ever had," Coco replied, her face distinctly red but not overwhelmingly so.

 "Coco...can I ask you something?" Velvet asked, not wanting to let a sudden bit of warm courage she felt slip away without putting it to good use.

 "Go ahead," she agreed. Velvet hesitated and took a few deep breaths, then forced herself to speak clearly and slowly, to not rush or let her words run together.

 "Would you want to do this again sometime? A date...with me?" she asked, holding her breath as she waited for an answer. There were a few seconds of silence.

 "Yeah," Coco replied with a smile. "I would."

 "Just to clarify...I-I'm talking about an actual date. Where...I'm your girlfriend and you're mine," she said. Coco's lips parted slightly in shock and Velvet looked away.

 That was stupid. Horribly stupid. Velvet was tempted to physically assault herself but managed to resist the urge. She fought to hold back her tears, barely able to keep them from flowing.

 Now Coco knew. She knew and was going to reject her. Everything Velvet had worked so hard to hide was out in the open. It hurt, and she knew it would only get worse when her leader rejected her (hopefully in a polite manner) and confirmed Velvet's suspicions: that whether Coco admitted it or not, she and Velvet lived in worlds too different to support a romantic relationship.

 "Velvet," Coco said. "Look at me." She did so nervously and was met with a sincere expression. "I'd love that."

 "Y-you would?" Velvet asked, her eyes widening. She felt her heart pounding in her chest as pure shock shattered her doubts, fears, and pain. She couldn't believe it. Coco had actually said yes! This was completely unexpected and absolutely amazing. Velvet stared at Coco with surprise and hope.

 "What? Were you expecting me to say no?" Coco asked with an amused expression. "Why did you ask then?"

 "It was...I don't know," Velvet admitted. "I think my mouth worked faster than my brain did."

 "If it makes you feel any better, I'll let you in on a secret," Coco said, leaning closer. "I would have asked if you didn't."

 "Really?" Velvet asked, trying to think clearly. It was admittedly a little hard to focus when Coco was this close, especially considering the topic.

 "Mmhm," Coco confirmed, stepping back slightly.

 "Because of tonight?" Velvet guessed, her thoughts running smoothly again now that Coco wasn't as close.

 "Not at all," Coco told her. "Velvet, I fell for you months ago. I enjoyed this date so much because it was a date with the girl I love."

 "You really love me," Velvet said softly. Coco smirked slightly, her eyes flickering with amusement.

 "Well that's what I said, isn't it?"

 "You...why didn't you say something?"

 "I was too scared you'd reject me to speak up," Coco admitted, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

 "What was that? You mean that you, Coco Adel, were too scared to do something?" Velvet asked teasingly.

 "Hey, I was worried about the team," Coco defended herself, her blush deepening. "If I confessed and you didn't feel the same way, the whole team dynamic could have fallen apart. So I ended up trying to pretend my feelings weren't there."

 "Was it hard?" Velvet asked.

 "Was what hard?"

 "Hiding your feelings. Was it hard for you?"

 "I..." Coco sighed. "It was fine at first, but as time went on it started getting harder. I realized that my feelings for you wouldn't go away, but I didn't know what to do about it. I just tried to push them down as much as I could."

 "I understand," the faunus told her. "It was hard for me too. I never thought you'd..." Velvet trailed off and looked away as tears spilled down her cheeks from overwhelming emotion.

 "Hey, don't cry," Coco said softly, stepping closer and tucking a stray lock of hair behind Velvet's ear.

 "I just...I'm sorry," the faunus apologized. "I...you..."

 "It's okay." Coco's lips gently brushed across Velvet's cheek, smudging her tears. "I'm here."

 Velvet stumbled forward and wrapped her arms around Coco's waist, burying her face in her neck. Coco gave a short, contented hum and held her closer. It was safe and warm, and above all it felt right. Velvet let out a long, shuddering breath before stepping back and meeting Coco's eyes.

 "I love you," she said, smiling as she rubbed the tears from her cheeks. No new ones took their place.

 "I love you too," Coco told her softly. Her eyes shifted down to Velvet's lips. The faunus quickly understood that Coco wanted to kiss her, and moments later realized that she was craving it too. She felt a light blush color her cheeks.

 "Coco..." 

 "Hm?" Coco met her eyes again.

 "I'm your girlfriend now, right?" Velvet asked.

 "You are," Coco confirmed, smiling slightly.

 "Then you're allowed to kiss me," the faunus told her softly. "If you want."

 The words had barely left Velvet's mouth when Coco pulled her closer and caught her in a gentle kiss. Velvet instantly returned it, feeling like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Her senses were exploding with pure ecstasy. The kiss was warm and soft, and Velvet realized that it tasted like chocolate.

 Velvet felt like she could stay there forever, but her lungs didn't agree. She and Coco broke apart to breathe, and Velvet laughed softly as it became entirely real to her. She was dating Coco. She had been kissed by Coco. She was loved by Coco. Velvet knew she wouldn't give any of that up for anything.

 "It's getting late," Coco noticed. "The boys are probably wondering where we are."

 "We should go back then," Velvet suggested. "Otherwise Yatsu will probably send out a search party."

 "He would," Coco agreed. "He acts like our team's big brother, doesn't he?"

 "He really does," Velvet said with a slight smile. "Then you’re the head of the family.”

“And you’re my girlfriend, which is a very prestigious title,” Coco told her.

“So…what does that make Fox?" Velvet asked.

 Coco took a few seconds to think about that.

 "The little brother who sticks his nose into everything but would do anything for us," she eventually decided.

 "Absolutely," Velvet confirmed with a slight giggle. "He kept trying to talk to me about my feelings for you even though I never told anyone about them."

 "He did the same thing with me," Coco told her. "He shut up once I made it very clear that bringing up the topic would bring him pain though. I just hope he doesn't get smug about this."

 "So do I," Velvet agreed. As they approached a large sign, the screen displaying the temperature changed to show the time: almost midnight.

 "We have to really hurry before all the airships shut down for the night," Coco said. "If we get stranded here without permission, Goodwitch will have our heads."

 "Yeah. That would be...a very long, unpleasant, and one-sided conversation," Velvet predicted.

 "Then we'd better hurry," Coco suggested, taking her hand. "I don't want our first date to end on a sour note."

 "Okay," Velvet agreed, smiling. They started to walk and an idea appeared in Velvet's mind. She blushed violently and tried to chase it away but it stubbornly stayed in the forefront of her thoughts.

 "Are you alright?" Coco asked.

 "I-I'm fine!" Velvet's blush deepened.

 "Bullshit. Come on, tell me what's going on."

 "I...don't make any stupid innuendos, okay?"

 "Since when are my innuendos stupid?" Coco asked.

 "Fine. No innuendos period," Velvet amended. 

 "Deal. So what's going on?"

 "Okay. Um, I was just...wondering if..." Velvet trailed off and took a deep breath. "Could I just...sleep with you tonight? But nothing intimate. Just...you know...kind of..." Velvet sighed. "Never mind. It was a stupid idea."

 "No it wasn't," Coco assured her. "It would be a nice way to end the evening."

 "Really?" Velvet asked, surprised.

 "Yeah. Believe it or not, I can be pretty affectionate in bed. And not just sexually," Coco admitted.

 "Wow." Velvet blinked. "I never took you for someone who likes cuddling." Coco blushed.

 "Yeah, well...it has to be the right person."

 "And I made the cut?" Velvet asked.

 "Made the cut? No. You set the bar impossibly high, and I have no intention of letting anyone pass you," Coco assured her. Velvet smiled slightly.

 "Ever?" she asked, then gave herself a heavy internal beating for saying that and suggesting a long-term relationship so soon after she and Coco started dating.

 "Ever," Coco cut through her thoughts, surprising her yet again and making a silly smile appear on her face.

 "Really?"

 "Definitely. I've never felt this way for anyone. I mean I've had crushes in the past, but those faded pretty quickly. I knew from the start that my feelings for those people wouldn't stick around. You're different. I don't feel like moving on is an option for me," Coco admitted. "I don't know how you feel about that...sorry if it's weird," she added, her face reddening as she looked away. Velvet giggled and gave her girlfriend's hand a slight squeeze.

 "It's not weird because I feel the same way," she assured Coco, who met her eyes with clear relief. They soon came unto view of an airship.

 "Is that the last ship?" Coco asked, looking at where a few students were boarding it.

 "It sure looks like it," Velvet replied.

 "We should probably run," Coco suggested.

 "Probably."

 Fortunately enough, the pilot saw them coming waited for them, then took off as soon as they boarded. Coco sat down on a bench built into one of the sides of the craft, pulling Velvet down on her lap. The faunus gave a startled squeak.

 "That was adorable," Coco commented. Velvet blushed but stayed there. Coco wrapped her arms around her waist and they didn't move until the ship landed at Beacon and they were told they had to get out.

 Then they were ambushed and startled into separating their hands by Team RWBY when all four girls came up and started spouting questions that eventually became one "What happened?" consensus.

 "Oh. What happened?" Coco repeated, raising an eyebrow. Her expression gave no implications about the night's events and the first years exchanged nervous glances.

 Then Coco grabbed Velvet’s hand, pulled her in, and pressed a kiss to her lips, which caused Team RWBY to erupt in excitement. Velvet barely heard the reactions through the pounding of her heart.

 As soon as the kiss ended, the first years calmed down, looking very pleased with themselves.

 "So how did you four do it?" Coco asked.

 "Well Weiss wanted to plan a blind date for someone, and since I didn't want to go on one and Yang and Blake agreed with me, we decided to plan one for you!" Ruby said.

 "That left the task of keeping you apart all day so you wouldn't realize we were setting you up with each other, which would ruin everything," Weiss added.

 "So Blake and I kept Velvet in Vale all day while Ruby and Weiss confined Coco to Beacon," Yang put in.

 "Then we waited for you to see how it went," Blake finished. "And I think I speak for all of us when I say what a relief it is that you two realized your romantic interests were mutual."

 "So how did you figure out how we feel?" Velvet asked.

 The first years took a sudden interest in their shoes.

 "Answer her," Coco said firmly.

 "Well...we, er...didn't," Ruby admitted.

 "Then...why did you plan the date?" Velvet asked.

 "Fox heard Weiss arguing about wanting to plan a blind date, then told us to set you two up," Yang said.

 "Fox? Of course. That clever bastard," Coco said.

“We should go thank him,” Velvet suggested. Coco smirked and the couple told the first years goodbye, then headed toward their dorm.

“You go ahead and get in your bed, okay?” Coco said, stopping when they were close. “I’ll come in a few minutes later so I can have a little fun thanking Fox. Then I’ll get in the bed with you and show exactly how fond I actually am of…you know. The whole cuddling thing.” Coco’s face flushed slightly and Velvet smiled.

“Okay,” she agreed, giving Coco a brief kiss. “I’ll be waiting.”

Then she headed into the dorm to change into her pajamas, feeling her heartbeat pick up again at the thought of sharing a bed for the purpose of non-intimate affection with Coco.

All in all, Velvet decided that it had been an amazing evening…and it was only the beginning of what she felt would be a completely successful relationship.


	5. Chapter 5

It was past midnight and most students at Beacon were probably asleep in their beds, dreaming and free from worry.

 Fox was not.

 Yatsuhashi had gone to bed once Fox had assured him that Velvet and Coco were in town together (although he made sure to keep exactly what they were doing as much as a mystery as possible, just in case) and would be back soon. The fact that Coco's handbag was gone served as proof that they would be safe, so Yatsuhashi was now asleep.

 Fox, meanwhile, was more than a little nervous as he lay on his back in his bed, wide awake. Coco and Velvet would be back soon. Hopefully together. They had to be in Beacon by now, actually; the airships had stopped for the night. Team RWBY had already said they would meet Velvet and Coco as soon as they returned, and Fox knew the first years had probably told Velvet and Coco that he was the one behind the blind date. That meant Coco would undoubtedly confront him. If the date went well, maybe she'd be polite. If it didn't go well...

 Fox really didn't want to think about that option.

 The door opened and light footsteps came in: Velvet. Coco was nowhere to be found, which implied the date had not resulted in a new relationship. He heard Velvet change and go to her bed, not saying a word. Her night vision was nearly perfect and Fox’s bed would have been right in her line of sight coming in, but she hadn’t addressed him at all. The odds that she hadn’t noticed that his eyes were open were slim since she was very observant in darkness. That meant she had probably chosen to say nothing to him despite her polite nature.

 This was not encouraging.

 After a few agonizing minutes, Fox heard Coco’s steady stride approach from the hallway, her heels clicking on the floor. The door opened again and Fox tensed, wondering what kind of reaction was coming his way. Anything could happen now. All he could do was hope for the best.

 "Fox!" Coco said sharply, walking in and closing the door forcefully behind her. Fox sat up instantly. That was his leader's "do what I say if you don't want a bruise" tone. Coco plopped down on his bed and he braced himself for a verbal assault, hoping it would be that and not physical pain...

 But his worries were clearly for nothing because Coco just kissed him on the cheek.

 "Nice job, Matchmaker King," she said.

 "It all worked out?" he asked. He was a bit annoyed that Coco had intentionally led him to believe she was angry at him, but his relief that she wasn't upset overpowered the irritation.

 "Well since Velvet's my girlfriend now, I'd say it did," Coco replied, standing again. "Thanks to you."

 "Glad I could help," he replied, thankful that he wasn't being scolded or injured, that his teammates were happy, and that he'd finally be rid of the constant headache caused by Coco and Velvet not realizing that the crushes they had on each other were, in fact, very obviously returned.

 He lay down again, hearing Coco change and go to Velvet's bed instead of her own. Based on the soft fragments he could hear of what they were saying, Coco was surprisingly eager to fall asleep just holding Velvet, implying that she was prone to gentle displays of affection. Fox was a bit amused by that.

 Then he decided that maybe he should keep out of Coco and Velvet’s business for a while and drifted off into his own thoughts. He felt himself falling asleep and smiled slightly.

 Matchmaker King?

 He could get used to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's a little short bit to wrap it all up. On a not entirely unrelated note, I do not apologize for the lack of described cuddles because I will be posting more Crosshares stuff soon, and there will undoubtedly be tons and tons of cuddles in those oneshots and stories.  
> Thank you all so much for reading this! It makes me smile to know that people enjoy it. ^.^ I hope I get to see you again soon!


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